Kansas keeps President Obama on November ballot

(USA Today) -- Kansas officials agreed today to keep President Obama on the state's ballot for November, after a challenge to Obama's birth certificate was dropped.

The GOP-controlled State Objections Board ended its investigation of Obama's birth certificate, which has long been a concern for people who doubt he was born in the United States.

The meeting today to close the matter got heated, and people on both sides of the debate were asked by police to leave.

Joe Montgomery, the Kansan who originally raised concerns about the document, had filed a claim contending Obama is ineligible to serve as president because his father held dual citizenship in Kenya and Britain. Montgomery withdrew his challenge on Friday because of "intimidation directed not only at me, but at people around me," he told the Topeka Capital-Journal.

Obama released his long-form birth certificate in April 2011, which shows he was born in Hawaii. He did so to end what he called "silliness" about the authenticity of his birth certificate and the legitimacy of his presidency.

Orly Taitz, a California woman who is a leading figure in what is known as the "birther" movement, appeared at the Kansas meeting and criticized the board for ignoring challenges to Obama's birth certificate.

The Kansas case drew national headlines last week. It would have been embarrassing for Obama to be dropped from the Kansas ballot because his mother and grandparents are from the state.